Happy Holler Days!

Our tree theme for this year was Kentucky hillbillies since we love (and miss) traveling there.

Here are a few close ups:

Here is a badly back-lit full view:

The tree topper:

I got the idea to do this tree theme way back during Thanksgiving 2019, inspired by our trip to Kentucky.  I started working out details immediately even going so far as seeking out a green fake tree and white lights with green cords.  We have many fake trees: 1 white, 2 black, and numerous aluminum ones, but not a green.  I don't care for green trees, fake or real.  However I felt for this woodsy theme a green tree was the only way to go, but it had to be dirt cheap because it (along with the lights) was going to be donated back to a thrift the first week of January.  I happened to find a decent one at the Goodwill for 3 bucks on an after Christmas sale.  Then several weeks later I found a box of lights at a church rummage sale for 50¢!  The next idea I had was to make outhouse ornaments using the cardboard boxes from toothpaste, so I started saving those back.  They are covered in wood grain shelf liner from dollar tree.  The pine cones were offered from mother nature. The corn cob pipes, moonshine jugs, and Hillbilly post cards are all prints on cardstock.  I made little clothing lines from jute twine, mini clothespins (dollar tree), plaid flannel cut into shirts, and some of Mr. Husband's old white socks cut into mini socks along with some mini whitey tighty underwear. The tree topper is comprised of some of the hillbilly items I collect (knee huggers and a souvenir log cabin bank).

Everything seemed like it was coming together yet those with a keen eye may have noticed that the tree is not green, it's black.  This is because after I set up the green tree and pulled the lights out of the box, I made the realization that the lights were 'net' lights.  There were two sets in the box and I figured I would still try to make them work even if that meant more work for me to get the wires shoved far back on the branches.  The first set of lights looked pretty good after I was done but only covered a little over half of the tree.  But that's okay, right? I have another set.  Nope.  The other set was smaller and a much closer knit net which barely covered the rest of the tree.  The lighting on the tree looked very dull and sparse on the bottom but dense and bright on the top.   Mr. Husband being the ever supportive partner that he is comments that it's perfect looking that way, it works with the theme of hillbilly.   No, no...if my theme was white trash it would work, but hillbillies are people I have a fondness for.

 Hillbillies, White Trash, and Red Necks are commonly seen as all the same but here's the rub in Christmas Tree theme language:

White Trash Christmas tree decorations: 

 crushed beer cans, uneven lights, mini trailers, busted up hot wheel cars, 

toy stuffed dogs (bonus if they are Rottweilers) chained to the tree, tree standing crooked and limbs broken, a garland made from Marlboro cigarettes.  On Christmas eve Santa Billy Jo Claus visits the trailer park and all dirt roads expecting a jumbo bag of pork rinds and a room temperature Busch beer.

Red Neck Christmas Tree decorations:

red, white, and blue christmas lights, NRA ornaments, Nascar crap, mini KKK hoods, 

oversized toy pick up trucks, red solo cups, a confederate flag for a tree skirt, 

and a tree topper depicting that orange numbskull that's squatting at the White House. 

 They celebrate the arrival of Bubba Claus who wears a tank top saying "Beef, Beer, 'Merica" on it and smells of corn nuts.

Ya'll can file those ideas away for yourselves, but I'll pass.

 Back to my homage to Hillbillies....So I decided to try out my black pre-lit tree but tucked in some dried pine straw to give it a more naturey feel.  I loved how it turned out, even better than if the green tree and lights weren't all White Trashed out.  

And speaking off Red Neck/ White Trashness, if you need a laugh... and I know you do, check out People of Walmart and give thanks for contactless drive up grocery shopping.